Steel

The OECD Steel Committee provides a unique forum for governments and producers to come together to address the evolving challenges facing the steel industry, and identify political solutions to encourage open and transparent markets for steel. By fostering a global environment in which steel producers compete under fair conditions, the OECD contributes to a more viable and sustainable steel industry, so that steel continues to contribute to improved economic prosperity around the world.

The work of the OECD Steel Committee in the last two years has covered areas such as:

»tradepolicies, including non-tariff measures and export restrictions on raw materials;

» steelmaking raw material markets, which are receiving increasing attention by governments and industry alike given the sector depends heavily on a range of raw materials for its production;

»global excess capacity, given its growing magnitude and the impacts it is having on the industry’s economic viability. Governments are interested in learning the causes of excess capacity, particularly the role of government interventions in creating or sustaining excess capacity, as well as policies aimed at easing the situation;

»environmental performance, and particularly the contribution of energy efficiency technologies as well as developments in breakthrough technologies to address climate change.

A two-yearly publication on trends in the steelmaking capacity of economies that are not members of the OECD. The 2013 edition is available here. An update will be provided in 2015.

Excess Capacity

Excess capacity is one of the main challenges facing the global steel sector today.

A Policy Paper published in February 2015 on excess capacity and the implications of new investment projects shows that global steelmaking capacity will nevertheless continue to expand. The paper provides extensive information on crude steelmaking projects that have come on stream very recently as well as announcements of projects that are planned in the period until 2017. The underlying data on investment projects can be found in the newly launched capacity portal.

‌Notes: The Secretariat assumes demand growth of 2% in 2014 and 2015. These are the most recent rates of growth forecast by the World Steel Association for world apparent steel use (October 2014 Short Range Outlook).